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Help! Illness Diagnosis Needed

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lauren99889

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Hi, I'm new to the forums and need help! My 4 year old male Guinea pig has developed a few symptoms of illness over the last couple of weeks but I can't figure out why. At first he was quieter and had a loss of weight. He is now more boisterous like he used to be but he still has the weight loss. He has some urine staining and doesn't have diarrhea however his droppings look wet. He still has an appetite. He has a little discharge from one eye (but not a lot) and the fur below his eyes looks like it has been wet? He lives with his brother and he hasn't got any symptoms at all. Does anyone know or have any suggestions as to what the cause of all this might be? And how I can help him? Thankyou
 
He really needs to see a vet. There are guinea pig savvy vets which you can find on the top of the page. Sorry my phone will not let me post a link. Good luck with your little one.
 
I agree with @piggyfan you need to get him to a vet as soon as possible. It sounds like there may be a few things going on, though once a pig is poorly they become susceptible to other illnesses. The weight loss alone would indicate that a vet visit was needed.

Here is the link
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-vet-locator/

My suspicion is maybe a urinary tract infection but the watery eye makes me think an upper respiratory infection or dental issues and the funny poos could be because he is not eating enough.

Please can you update your location on your profile.
 
I agree; a vet visit is definitely in order! Please note that we can only give you avenues to pursue with your vet based on what you are telling us, but we cannot replace a trip to the vet because it is simply impossible and highly irresponsible to diagnose an illness without having a piggy seen and given it a thorough examination, especially in cases like yours where the signs are not obvious.

Weigh your boy daily at the same time of the day instead of weekly and if necessary, top him up with hand feed until you can get a vet appointment.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/
 
I agree an urgent vet appointment is required - like tomorrow if possible. I would suggest you do not go to any vet as guinea pigs have special needs once they get poorly. They can be quite delicate and need special care, otherwise they can go downhill quickly. They are prey animals in the wild and they have retained some of their instincts, which means they will not show they are ill, until they are so poorly that they are critical. So although he is quite active, the weight loss you describe means there is something that needs vet advice and medical care straight away before it gets to the critical and irreversible stage. You must go to a vet that understands their needs though, as to go to any vet is a complete waste of money and could risk a missed diagnosis if they do not have experience of guinea pigs.

Teeth problems such as tooth abscesses can make eyes water. The weight loss could be because he is having difficulty eating enough to keep his weight stable, or that he has diarrhoea, or a bit of both. You will need to weigh him regularly to check actual weight loss in grams, because once they start losing weight, it can be difficult to maintain their weight and might need supplementary food such as critical care which can be obtained from the vet just to keep him stable enough to get the medical treatment he needs.

There is a lot of things this could be and only going to the vet will get the proper diagnosis. But you must get your guinea pig to the vet immediately before it gets any worse.
 
Thanks guys, I can't get to a vet until next week so I just wanted a few opinions to help me. Thanks for all the replies
 
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